About Fonia / Fionnghuala of Moray, Lady of the Isles

She is not attested in historical records, but there is an old tradition that she was Fionnghuala ('Fiona') and that her father was Mormaer of Moray. She is sometimes said, anachronistically, to have been a daughter of Ranulph, Earl of Moray. She might instead have been the daughter of Donald mac William (Domhnall mac Uilleam), who claimed Moray.

In the century or two before 1130 the name Moray described a polity, far larger than the later county or district of the same name, which at its largest extended from Drumochter in the south to the Scandinavian held lands of Caithness and Sutherland in the north. Moray would also eventually cover from Buchan in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west.[1]

Njal's Saga, a Saga of the Icelanders mentions Mormaers and Kings in northern Scotland from the later 10th century, namely Jarl Melsnatr (Máel Snechtai) and King Melkofr (Máel Coluim) of "Scotland." Both date from the period 976 to 995.[2] However no king named Máel Coluim reigned in Scotland in this period. Njal's Saga was written as a historical guide for details outside Iceland or Scandinavia and the text is notoriously unreliable.

Moray was ruled by a Gaelic-speaking dynasty, the most notable perhaps being King Macbeth of Scotland, who ruled from 1040 to 1057. These rulers were sometimes styled Ri meaning king or mormaer meaning great steward.[1]

Irish annals record the killing of Findláech, son of Ruaidri, 'mormaer of Moray', in 1020 by the sons of his brother, Mael Brigte. Both Findlaech and Mael Coluim are styled 'king of Alba' rather than 'of Moray' in one Obit but this may be an error or exaggeration.[1] Mael Coluim's brother and successor, Gillie Coemgáin is recorded as Mormaer of Moray.[3] The death of Mael Coluim, son of Mael Brigte, is recorded in 1029 and, in 1032 that of his brother Gilla Comgain, killed along with 50 of his men.[1]

Gilla Comgain's successor and probably also his killer, was his cousin Macbeth (Mac Bethad mac Findlaig). Macbeth married Gilla Comgain's widow Gruoch, a princess of the mac Alpin dynasty, and became king of Scots in 1040, after defeating and killing Duncan I of Scotland (Donnchad ua Mail Choluim) in battle. Later sources suggest that MacBeth had a claim to the Scottish throne through his mother, but his Gaelic pedigree, on record only two generations after his death, traces his descent through his father Findlaech, and grandfather Ruaidri, from the house of Loarn, Kings of Dál Riata.[1]

The pedigree of Macbeth from the Loarn kings of Dál Riata offers a clue to the origins of his dynasty in Moray. Moray may have been a separate kingdom for a time, independent of the dynasty of Kenneth mac Alpin. However it seems likely that rulers of Moray were subject loosely to the Kings of Alba. Moray acted as a buffer against further Scandinavian penetration from the north, and its rulers were remembered with respect in Scandinavian sources such as Orkneyinga Saga.[1]

Macbeth himself was in turn killed and defeated in 1057. After which, his stepson Lulach, son of Gilla Comgain, and presumably also of Grouch, claimed the Scottish throne briefly before being himself killed in 1058. Lulach's son, Mael Snechtai, died in 1085 as 'king of Moray'. Later, an Earl named Aed or 'Heth' who witnesses royal charters early in the next century may also have been based in Moray. The last ruling member of the dynasty, styled 'king' or 'earl' of Moray, was Óengus (Angus) son of the daughter of Lulach. Óengus (Angus) challenged David I of Scotland in battle, but was defeated and killed at Stracathro in Angus, in 1130 and thus the Kingdom of Moray was destroyed by David I of Scotland.[1]

With the death of Angus brought the rapid feudalization of Moray under Flemming Freskin, who was of Flemish and Norman descent and his descendants who adopted the significant designation 'de Moravia', which means 'of Moray'. (The de Moravia family would later become Earls of Sutherland in the 13th century). Claims that William fitz Duncan became the last Mormaer of Moray cannot be substantiated and his claim for the Scottish throne proved unsuccessful. Malcolm MacHeth, who rebelled against David I, but was later made Earl of Ross may have been related to the old rulers of Moray, as may also have been the mysterious Wimund. Later MacHeth claimants to Moray were unsuccessful.[1]

-------------------- Fonia Of Moray. Spouse: King Reignald Somerledsson. King Reignald Somerledsson and Fonia Of Moray were married. Children were: Ruaidhri Reignaldson Of Garmoran.

In the century or two before 1130 the name Moray described a polity, far larger than the later county or district of the same name, which at its largest extended from Drumochter in the south to the Scandinavian held lands of Caithness and Sutherland in the north. Moray would also eventually cover from Buchan in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west.[1]

Njal's Saga, a Saga of the Icelanders mentions Mormaers and Kings in northern Scotland from the later 10th century, namely Jarl Melsnatr (Máel Snechtai) and King Melkofr (Máel Coluim) of "Scotland." Both date from the period 976 to 995.[2] However no king named Máel Coluim reigned in Scotland in this period. Njal's Saga was written as a historical guide for details outside Iceland or Scandinavia and the text is notoriously unreliable.

Moray was ruled by a Gaelic-speaking dynasty, the most notable perhaps being King Macbeth of Scotland, who ruled from 1040 to 1057. These rulers were sometimes styled Ri meaning king or mormaer meaning great steward.[1]

Irish annals record the killing of Findláech, son of Ruaidri, 'mormaer of Moray', in 1020 by the sons of his brother, Mael Brigte. Both Findlaech and Mael Coluim are styled 'king of Alba' rather than 'of Moray' in one Obit but this may be an error or exaggeration.[1] Mael Coluim's brother and successor, Gillie Coemgáin is recorded as Mormaer of Moray.[3] The death of Mael Coluim, son of Mael Brigte, is recorded in 1029 and, in 1032 that of his brother Gilla Comgain, killed along with 50 of his men.[1]

Gilla Comgain's successor and probably also his killer, was his cousin Macbeth (Mac Bethad mac Findlaig). Macbeth married Gilla Comgain's widow Gruoch, a princess of the mac Alpin dynasty, and became king of Scots in 1040, after defeating and killing Duncan I of Scotland (Donnchad ua Mail Choluim) in battle. Later sources suggest that MacBeth had a claim to the Scottish throne through his mother, but his Gaelic pedigree, on record only two generations after his death, traces his descent through his father Findlaech, and grandfather Ruaidri, from the house of Loarn, Kings of Dál Riata.[1]

The pedigree of Macbeth from the Loarn kings of Dál Riata offers a clue to the origins of his dynasty in Moray. Moray may have been a separate kingdom for a time, independent of the dynasty of Kenneth mac Alpin. However it seems likely that rulers of Moray were subject loosely to the Kings of Alba. Moray acted as a buffer against further Scandinavian penetration from the north, and its rulers were remembered with respect in Scandinavian sources such as Orkneyinga Saga.[1]

Macbeth himself was in turn killed and defeated in 1057. After which, his stepson Lulach, son of Gilla Comgain, and presumably also of Grouch, claimed the Scottish throne briefly before being himself killed in 1058. Lulach's son, Mael Snechtai, died in 1085 as 'king of Moray'. Later, an Earl named Aed or 'Heth' who witnesses royal charters early in the next century may also have been based in Moray. The last ruling member of the dynasty, styled 'king' or 'earl' of Moray, was Óengus (Angus) son of the daughter of Lulach. Óengus (Angus) challenged David I of Scotland in battle, but was defeated and killed at Stracathro in Angus, in 1130 and thus the Kingdom of Moray was destroyed by David I of Scotland.[1]

With the death of Angus brought the rapid feudalization of Moray under Flemming Freskin, who was of Flemish and Norman descent and his descendants who adopted the significant designation 'de Moravia', which means 'of Moray'. (The de Moravia family would later become Earls of Sutherland in the 13th century). Claims that William fitz Duncan became the last Mormaer of Moray cannot be substantiated and his claim for the Scottish throne proved unsuccessful. Malcolm MacHeth, who rebelled against David I, but was later made Earl of Ross may have been related to the old rulers of Moray, as may also have been the mysterious Wimund. Later MacHeth claimants to Moray were unsuccessful.[1]

-------------------- Fonia Of Moray. Spouse: King Reignald Somerledsson. King Reignald Somerledsson and Fonia Of Moray were married. Children were: Ruaidhri Reignaldson Of Garmoran.

Fonia married Reginald mac Somerled Lord of the Isles, son of Somerled mac Gillebride Lord of Argyle and Effirca Daughter of Olave the Red. 886 (Reginald mac Somerled Lord of the Isles was born about 1148 in Morven, Argyleshire, Scotland and died about 1207.)

Fiona married Rognvald (Reginald, Randal) SUMARLIDASSON Lord of the Isles, son of Somerled MAC GILLEBRIDE 1st Lord of the Isles and Ragnhild (Ragnhildis) ÓLAFSDÓTTIR, about 1185. (Rognvald (Reginald, Randal) SUMARLIDASSON Lord of the Isles was born about 1148 in Morven, Argyleshire, Scotland and died in 1207 in Kintyre, Argyleshire, Scotland.)